Sea Harrier FRS 1 vs Mirage III/Dagger
Following Argentina's military operation to take possession of the Falkland Islands/Islas Malvinas, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's government launched a major naval operation to return them to British rule. Defending the Royal Navy task force were two small squadrons totalling 20 Sea Harriers (SHARs). Initial clashes between SHARs and Argentine Mirages and Daggers on 1 May 1982 failed to eliminate the Sea Harrier defenders. FAA fighter-bomber pilots relied on daring and courageous ultra-low level attacks, frequently escaping the Sea Harrier’s limited capabilities, against Royal Navy warships and auxiliaries, causing considerable damage during Operation Corporate, the large-scale amphibious operation to repossess the islands.
Publishing 35 years after the end of the conflict, this fully illustrated volume offers a balanced and objective examination of the SHAR and the Argentine Mirage and Dagger aircraft, highlighting the attributes of both and the skills and courage of the pilots flying them.
Doug Dildy is a retired USAF colonel and former F-15 pilot who worked with SHARs operationally and in air-to-air training during his first NATO tour of duty. During his writing career, he has written and co-authored ten Osprey books including the highly successful Osprey Duel 72: F-15C Eagle vs MiG-23/-25: Iraq 1991 . Dildy lives in Albuquerque, NM.
Pablo Calcaterra is a Canadian citizen from Argentina. He is an avid and award winning aircraft modeller, with direct access to the Argentine Air Force archives and contact with many veterans of the conflict. Calcaterra lives in London, Ontario.
Jim Laurier is a native of New England and lives in New Hampshire. He attended Paier School of Art in Hamden, Connecticut, in 1978. He has been commissioned to paint for the US Air Force and has aviation paintings on permanent display at the Pentagon.
Gareth Hector is a digital artist of international standing as well as an aviation history enthusiast. Gareth completed the battlescene artwork and cover artwork for this book.